Jammu and Kashmir gets state investigative agency for speedy probe into terror cases

State Investigative Agency will act as the nodal agency for the National Investigation Agency and other central agencies probing terror cases in Jammu and Kashmir

J&K’s home department has created a State Investigative Agency (SIA) to act as the nodal agency for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies.

The National Investigation Agency is currently investigating dozens of high-profile terror cases in Jammu and Kashmir and have been conducting raids in different parts of the UT every week with the help of other security agencies operating here. (PTI/Representational image)

NIA is currently investigating dozens of high-profile cases, pertaining to militancy, in J&K and have been conducting raids in different parts of the UT every week with the help of other security agencies operating here. Other central agencies are also conducting investigations into militancy-related cases.

The J&K home department has now created a full-fledged specialised agency to coordinate with the NIA and other agencies. An order grant accord to the new agency was issued on Monday night.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a specialised agency to be called the State Investigation Agency (SIA) for investigation and prosecution of the offences. The SIA shall be the nodal agency for coordinating with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies and shall take measures as may be necessary for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism-related cases,” the order issued by Khalid Mehraj, special secretary to the government, read.

The new agency will be headed by a director and it will be mandatory for all security agencies to bring to the notice of SIA, all cases or arrests made in connection with militancy. The head of CID wing shall be the ex-officio director of the SIA.

“The CID, CIK and CID, CIJ, already notified as police stations vide notification bearing SRO-230 of 1977 dated 19.05.1977, shall also be the police stations for the purposes of registering and investigation of cases,” the order reads.

The order further said that all the officers in-charge of the police stations shall mandatorily intimate the SIA immediately upon registration of terrorism-related cases, including those specified in the annexure to this government order, and also about such cases where any terrorism linkage surfaces during investigation.

“Wherever, upon intimation, the National Investigation Act, 2008, the investigation is not taken up by the NIA, the DGP, J&K shall, having regard to the gravity of the offence, progress of investigation and other relevant factors, determine in consultation with the SIA whether the case is fit to be investigated by SIA & transfer the investigation of the such case at any point of time during its investigation; however, if there is a difference of opinion, the DGP shall take a decision, while recording the reasons in writing,” the order said.

The order said the cases where the investigation is not transferred to the SIA, the PHQ shall ensure that the SIA is kept informed about the progress of investigation at regular intervals, preferably on fortnightly basis; where SIA is of the opinion that an offence specified in annexure this order has been committed, which is fit to be investigated by it, the SIA shall register an FIR, suo motu, while keeping the DGP, J&K informed.”

“The SIA shall also be the agency for investigation and trial of offences in cases which are transferred to the state government in terms of Section 7 of the National Investigation Act, 2008,” it stated